Brake pads

In disc-brake systems, the brake pads are the friction material the caliper
squeezes against the rotating disc, or rotor, to slow the wheel’s rotation
and stop the car. In drum brakes, the pads are called shoes.

Subject to tremendous friction and heat, brake pads wear down and must
be replaced as part of a car’s regular maintenance. How long they last
depends both on the car’s design and how it is driven.